Major IPS Reshuffle in Odisha Ahead of Elections; Sanjeeb Panda Appointed Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner

Bhubaneswar: In anticipation of the upcoming simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha, the state government has implemented a significant reshuffle in the IPS cadre. Sanjeeb Panda, a 1994-batch IPS officer, has been designated as the new Police Commissioner for the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. Currently serving as the Director of Intelligence with additional responsibility as CMD of OPHWC, Panda will replace Saumendra Priyadarsi (1995 batch), who has been reassigned as the Director of Intelligence in Odisha.

Santosh Bala (1995 batch), presently serving as the Special Secretary to the Home department, will continue in the additional charge of CMD, OPHWC. Meanwhile, Himanshu Kumar Lal (2003 batch), the current Inspector General of Police (IGP) Eastern Range at Balasore, will take on the role of IGP of North Range at Sambalpur.

Deepak Kumar (2004 batch), the incumbent IGP North Range, has been moved to the position of IGP North Central Range at Talcher with additional charge of PTC, Angul. Satyabrata Bhoi (2004 batch), the current IGP of Southern Range at Berhampur, has been appointed as IG Eastern Range at Balasore.

JN Pankaj (2005), who is serving as the IG of EOW and STF, has been appointed as the new IGP of Southern Range at Berhampur. Additionally, Pankaj will hold the additional charge of the IGP, EOW, and STF.

Other key changes include the shift of Puri SP Kanwar Vishal Singh (2010 batch) to the position of DCP of Cuttack. Current Cuttack DCP Pinak Mishra (2011 batch) will take on the role of SP in Puri. Banoth Jugal Kishore Kumar (2011 batch) has been designated as the new SP of Kendrapara.

The reshuffle also involves changes in various positions across the state, including new assignments for officers in Deogarh, Rayagada, Sonepur, and Dhenkanal, among others. Harisha BC (2020 batch), currently serving as SDPO Jeypore, has been reassigned as Rayagada SP, and Yashpratap Shrimal (2020 batch), the Baliguda SDPO, will be the new SP of Sonepur. The IPS reshuffle aims to optimize leadership roles ahead of the upcoming elections, ensuring efficient management and coordination in the state’s security and law enforcement.